Shou-En Lu — Page 2 | PubMed Health

PubMedDate not supplied

Heart rate variability biofeedback increases baroreflex gain and peak expiratory flow.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated heart rate variability biofeedback as a method for increasing vagal baroreflex gain and improving pulmonary function among 54 healthy adults. METHODS: We compared 10 sessions of biofeedback training with an uninstructed control. Cognitive and physiological effects were measured in four of the sessions. RESULTS: We found acute increases in low-frequency and total spectrum heart rate variability, and in vagal baroreflex gain, correlated with slow breathing during biofeedback periods. Increased baseline baroreflex gain also occurred across sessions in the biofeedback group, independent of respiratory changes, and peak expiratory flow increased in this group, independently of cardiovascular changes. Biofeedback was accompanied by fewer adverse relaxation side effects than the control condition. CONCLUSIONS: Heart rate variability biofeedback had strong long-term influences on resting baroreflex gain and pulmonary function. It should be examined as a method for treating cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Also, this study demonstrates neuroplasticity of the baroreflex.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Psychiatric disorders and asthma outcomes among high-risk inner-city patients.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the rate of psychiatric disorders among patients attending an ethnically diverse, inner-city asthma clinic for an initial visit and assess the association between psychiatric disorders and asthma morbidity. METHODS: A semistructured psychological interview was conducted to assess for psychiatric diagnoses. A pulmonary physician, who was blind to psychiatric disorder, established diagnosis of asthma based on national guidelines. RESULTS: Sixty-four percent of 85 participants received at least 1 psychiatric diagnosis. The pulmonary physician rated patients with a psychiatric disorder as achieving fewer goals (M = 2.3 +/- 1.3) for asthma control than patients without a psychiatric disorder (M = 3.6 +/- 1.5, p = .0002). Patients with a psychiatric diagnosis more frequently reported an emergency room visit for asthma during the past 6 months (OR = 4.89; 95% CI, 1.76-13.39) and greater use of short-acting beta2-agonist medication (M = 1.5 +/- 0.9 canisters per month) than patients without a psychiatric diagnosis (M = 0.9 +/- 0.8, p = .003). These findings were independent of demographics, health insurance, and asthma severity. No differences emerged between patients with and without a mental disorder on percent predicted FEV1. Patients with a psychiatric disorder reported a higher severity level for asthma symptoms than the severity level indicated by their pulmonary function in comparison to patients without a psychiatric diagnosis (OR = 3.52; 95% CI, 1.23-10.10). Health insurance appeared to be a confounding factor in this relationship. CONCLUSION: A high rate of psychiatric disorders was found among inner-city asthma patients. Psychiatric diagnoses were associated with greater perceived impairment from asthma but not objective measurement of pulmonary function.

Adolescent↗